Background Information

Background Information to Help the Conversation Flow!

 

 People prefer to get to know their business contacts before doing business with them.  Therefore, a round of social occasions would be recommended to help everyone get to know each other better.  Many non-Chinese speaking international business people gather a circle of Chinese friends around them; these people will be invaluable if they are intuitive and socially adept.  Under normal circumstances, there will always be English speakers in a business environment.  However, talking about the weather and the traffic won’t be enough to develop a fledgling relationship.  The more knowledge you have about China on the whole, the more common ground you will be able to find with your business associates and the better you will be able to make conversations flow, therefore deepening the relationship.  Equally, showing your knowledge of China and an active interest in their country will make you a very popular guest and will help to lighten the atmosphere.   Here are some useful facts about China:

 

Food in China

Dining is perhaps the most popular pastime and form of entertainment in China: all important and everyday festivals, occasions, gatherings and ceremonies involve a lot of eating! If you are doing business in China, it will not take you long to discover the importance of food in Chinese culture.  Every lunch and dinner is treated with the utmost respect.  A quick business lunch can easily expand into a huge feast, even if there is only a small number in your party!  The enthusiasm for food itself is a huge topic at the table.  People compare notes on the trendiest dish available at the moment, which new restaurant’s food is value for money, or which new eating experience they have had.  As a visitor, the host will not expect you to know everything about Chinese food, but it would be greatly appreciated if you are able to display some knowledge of the subject, because it shows that you have respect for them and an interest in their country.

 

China’s extensive geography creates a diverse climate and a multitude of cultural differences.  These and many historical circumstances contribute to a broad and differing range of Chinese foods available in the country.  There are generally four types of cuisine: the Northern plains - including Beijing; the fertile East - watered by the Yangtse River; the South, famous for the Cantonese cooking of the Guangdong Province; and the fecund West of Sichuan and the Hunan Provinces.  Each cuisine includes a range of different types of dish, the most renowned traditional categories are:

• Cantonese (Yue): From Guangzhou/Canton - the most famous with Westerners, as it is served in most of the Chinese restaurants overseas.  

• Shandong(Lu): Often regarded as an everyday meal served in the Northern area in places such as Beijing and Shandong. Soy Sauce is an important ingredient.

• Sichuan(Chuan): Its distinctive taste is chilli, making it very hot and spicy.  It is likely to be an interesting experience for fans of Indian food.

•  Jiangsu(Su or Yang): Quite light in comparison with other Northern dishes, and with a sweet taste.

Other major types of cuisine include Fujian (Min), Hunan (Xiang), Zhejiang (Zhe) and Anhui (Hui) styles.

 

 

Other than the traditional meals, there are many new and unusual dishes appearing in the trendy restaurants in major cities. Their incredible array of ingredients can range from Western goat’s cheese and potato chips to Chinese Soy Sauce and Sichuan chilli pepper.  In addition, there is also a vast selection of foreign food available in China: Italian, French, Indian, Brazilian, Thai - to name but a few types.  Western food can always be a good choice for taking your Chinese contacts out for a change.

 

Typical Chinese dishes to sample

•   Peking Duck, Beijing（北京烤鸭）- Its authentic taste can’t be found in any Chinese restaurant in the West.

•  Chinese Hotpot, Mongolian（火锅）- A national dish to help endure the harsh winters in the North.

•  Pork Stew（炖肉）- Mao Tse Tong’s favourite dish, it is interpreted in many different ways throughout the country, but the basic ingredient is the same: pork belly.  It looks fatty but tastes great.

• Spicy Fish Hotpot, Sichuan(水煮鱼) - A very stimulating experience if you have a strong enough palate for chilli and Chinese pepper.

• Dim Sum, Guangdong(早茶) - As popular in China as in the Chinese restaurants throughout the world, it is worth comparing it to your own experience of the dish!

• Little Steamed Dumplings, Shanghai（小笼包）- A mouth-watering experience, worth queuing at the Nanxiang Restaurant for!

• Dumplings, Northern（饺子）- A typical dish for Chinese New Year’s Eve, representing the union of the family.

• Hand-pulled Noodles, Northern(拉面) - This dish is more of an artistic display than a cookery process.  Witnessing the production of the thread-like noodles is a truly amazing experience.

• Steamed Pot, Yuannan（气锅）- A soup with a healthy mixture of meat and vegetables.

 

 

Tea culture

Made from camellia leaves, there are 6 major types of tea – Green, Black, Wulong, White, Scented and tightly pressed tea (sometimes called ‘gunpowder’ tea due to its colour and shape).  Green Tea has the longest history and remains the most popular, enjoyed for its freshness and natural fragrance.  Famous green teas include Longjing (Dragon Well) from Hangzhou, Maofeng Tea from the Huangshan Mountain, Yinzhen (Silver Needle) Tea from the Junshan Mountain, Yunwu (Cloud and Mist) Tea from the Lushan Mountain, and Wulong from Fujian in the Southeast of the country.  Scented tea, made by mixing green tea with flower petals is unique to China.  Sweet osmanthus, jasmine, rose, orchid and plum flowers are all available.

 

The contribution of Chinese people to the world 

• The Compass  - Invented in China during the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC).  In the 15th century, Zheng He made several ocean crossings using the compass.

• Paper – In 105 AD, bark from the mulberry tree and bamboo fibres were blended with water and pounded to a pulp.  Once dried it formed an excellent writing surface.

• Printing - Block printing is probably one of China’s most significant inventions.   This occurred during the Tang Dynasty sometime between the 4th and 7th centuries AD. 

• Gunpowder/fireworks – A mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), sulphur, and powdered charcoal invented in the latter part of the Han dynasty, during the 3rd century AD.  Mixing gunpowder with other elements that burn to give different colours led to the creation of the first ever fireworks.   The above four inventions are the most well known contributions made by Chinese people to the world’s development.

• Porcelain – In the 13th century, Marco Polo described the beauty of Chinese porcelain in his book.  It wasn’t until the 18th century that it was successfully produced in Europe.

• Silk – One of the strongest natural fibres, stronger than steel, was obtained and woven from silk moth caterpillar cocoons.

• Trade Routes – transcontinental trade routes such as the ‘Silk Road’ which ran from Xi’an to Rome were developed.

• Seismograph – During the Han Dynasty, Emperor He’s Royal Astronomer - Hang Chen - was responsible for the invention of the seismograph to predict the strength and direction of earthquakes.

  

 

Sport in China

  

Historically, sport in China has been strongly linked with politics and national pride.  From generation to generation, the public’s favourite sports have repeatedly changed according to these influences, more recently, stimulated by the fast growth of the economy.  The Chinese people’s passion for sport is no different to that of any other country, and a sport in which the Chinese people excel, especially at an international level, attracts more interest.  With China’s steady achievements, the Olympics is the most important sporting event.  Buoyed on by its tremendous success in 2008, sport has gathered strong momentum over the past couple of years and will maintain its pace for a long time to come.  Like the economy, Chinese sport has experienced its greatest period of development since the economic reforms were initiated in 1978.  During this period, the more traditional sports such as martial arts, wrestling, chess and boat racing have been replaced by more Westernised activities.  Many Chinese people now have the option of a variety of sports originating from different countries, and can even enjoy spectator sports such as watching the NBA competition and English football on TV.  Here are today’s most popular sports in China:

 

Table tennis

Also known as ‘ping pong’, this has always been a sport in which the Chinese people have excelled on an international stage since the 1960s. In 1971, the Chinese table tennis team invited the American table tennis team to visit the People’s Republic of China.  During this all- expenses paid trip, significant bridges were built between the American and Chinese people in the sports arena. It is testament to the value of the sport in China, that the US team was the first group of Americans allowed into the country since 1949 when China was founded.  This was coupled by an economic development, as during this trip, the US announced plans to remove a 20-year embargo on trade with China.  Table tennis is still one of the biggest amateur recreational sports in China today, with an estimated 200 million players.

 

Volleyball

Once again, sport became entwined with politics during the defeat of the Japanese women’s volleyball team by the Chinese in the 1981 World Championships. Although the political context was a period of significant modernisation in the country, this sporting victory spurred the nation on in a sense of national pride – previously only seen before the Cultural Revolution.  Not only did they defeat China’s traditional Asian rival Japan, but they also went on to win at the Olympics and five consecutive world titles. China had previously held the embarrassing sporting label of ‘the sick man of East Asia’ – a label that was removed by this period of victory. 

 

 

Badminton

Another sport in which the Chinese people excel is badminton. This means that it continues to be one of the most popular recreational sports in the country today. The Chinese team has achieved many sporting victories, including winning the World Championship, the England Open, the Sudirman Cup and several Olympic medals. Many Chinese people enjoy playing badminton in the open air, without a net or a court, meaning that it can be enjoyed by anyone at anytime.

 

Basketball

There is a theory perpetuated by some historians that basketball originated in China as an evolution of the ‘shouju’ game. This was a street-based handball game with a circular net that was in existence way before basketball.  Regardless of its origin, the sport has grown from strength to strength in China, and increased significantly in popularity since Chinese professional basketball player Yao Ming signed for Houston in 2002.  Yao Ming was named a global ambassador for the Special Olympics World Games in 2007 and is one of the country’s favourite athletes.

 

Football

Football is hugely popular and attracts more fans here than anywhere else in the world.  Unlike China’s other popular sports, however, the Chinese people have not yet triumphed in football despite their best efforts.  This means that international teams attract more interest than their national counterparts – in particular the teams in the English Premiership, the Italian Serie A and the German Bundesliga. If a Chinese player signs for a particular team, this can unleash a high level of Chinese support. This has happened with Everton and Manchester City among other teams – fuelled by extensive media coverage. Major European competitions can attract hundreds of millions of followers and have helped to make football the most televised sport in China.  Support for the national sides, however, comes nowhere near this figure. Some top of the table teams attract gates in the 10s of thousands, but in the mid-table, teams only tend to attract low gates of 3,000 to 8,000 with 1,000 or fewer fans for the teams in the relegation zone.

 

 

Tennis

Like table tennis, a victorious Chinese team allowed the sport to increase in popularity. At the turn of the century, some female Chinese athletes won at the World Championship and several victories followed, including a gold medal in the women’s tennis double at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the Grand Slam at the Australian Open in 2006 and many others.  Tennis has become increasingly popular, and tends to be played at leisure centres and hotels.

 

Snooker

Ding Junhui is a popular current snooker player.  In 2003, he became China’s top ranked player and now lives in the UK during the snooker season.  In 2005, he defeated British snooker legend Steve Davis in the UK Championship final.  All of his tournaments are widely publicised and scheduled in the Chinese sports calendar.

 

Grand Prix

The Chinese Grand Prix is a Formula One event held at the Shanghai International Circuit in October every year.  The track was designed by the German architect Hermann Tilke and is the most expensive Formula One circuit in the world, costing about $240 million with the capacity for over 200,000 spectators.  Around 150,000 tickets were sold for the first race in 2004 and the superb quality of facilities continues to attract a huge audience.

 

Golf

Golf is a status symbol and a networking tool as well as a sport in China.  It elevates one’s status to be a member of a golf club and the sport is widely discussed in business circles. There are around 200 golf courses and clubs in China for amateur golfers, and this number continues to rise year on year. During the last decade, China has developed into one of the most active golfing communities and has attracted several key events to the country – including the PGA European Tour and the Asian PGA Tour in 2004. Volvo, TCL and BMW are all involved in the sponsorship of the sport, indicating its stature in the business world.

 

Astrology

The Chinese zodiac follows a pattern of 12 years and each year is represented by its own unique creature from the animal kingdom. These take turns as the dominant sign in a particular year – for example, 2009 is the year of the Ox.

丑Ox                Jan 26 2009 - Feb 13 2010

寅Tiger                         Feb 14 2010 - Feb 02 2011

卯Rabbit         Feb 03 2011 - Jan 22 2012

辰Dragon       Jan 23 2012 - Feb 09 2013

巳Snake         Feb 10 2013 - Jan 30 2014

午Horse          Jan 31 2014 - Feb 18 2015

未Sheep         Feb 19 2015 - Feb 07 2016

申Monkey      Feb 08 2016 - Jan 27 2017

酉Rooster       Jan 28 2017 - Feb 18 2018

戌Dog    Feb 19 2018 - Feb 04 2019

亥Pig      Feb 18 2019 - Feb 06 2020

子Rat      Feb 07 2020 - Jan 25 2021

 

Numbers

In the same way that Western cultures are often superstitious with regards to the number 13, the Chinese also attach good and bad omens to numbers.

• "8" is regarded as a lucky number, as the way it is pronounced in the Chinese language sounds similar to the phrase “to get a fortune”.

•  "6" symbolises safety and an easy journey.

•  "9" is very lucky – there are 9 door knobs positioned horizontally and vertically on the imperial doors in the Forbidden City.

•  Doubles are a good omen, for instance a pair of vases, not a single vase, would be given to a newly married couple. 

•  "73" and "84" are regarded as bad omens for the elderly, as they are deemed possible years for death or illness.

•  "4" is considered bad luck as its pronunciation is similar to the word for ‘death’ in Chinese.

•  "7" can also be a symbol of death, but this is not as commonly regarded as the number 4.

 

Colours

Colour symbolism is important and it is practical to know what each colour represents in public places:

• Red symbolises good luck and is used for ceremonial purposes.  It can be seen at weddings, on slogans and on welcome messages in the New Year. 

• In Chinese culture, white is not a symbol of purity but is, in fact, a symbol of death.  This is a long-held belief among people who live in the countryside, in particular.  However, Western culture has influenced the modern Chinese bride, with white wedding dresses becoming increasingly popular.

• Yellow is reserved exclusively for imperial palaces in China.  Although there is no longer a monarchy, the colour is still regarded with reverence.

• Green：the Post Office.

•  Red：the ambulance service.

•   A hospital is designated by a white background with a red cross.

• The association of pink for girls and blue for boys is not relevant in China.

 

In Chinese culture there are 3 central colours: red, black and white.

 

Red, being the colour of blood, symbolises the positive aspects of life such as happiness, wealth, fame etc. Red is always associated with good luck.

 

Black, being the colour of faeces is associated with dirt, sin, evil, disasters, sadness, cruelty and suffering among other negative things. Black signifies bad fortune and must not be worn during festivals, wedding celebrations or similar happy events. Black should also not be used in home decoration.  While black has traditionally symbolised a lack of civilisation and backwardness, traditions associated with this colour are quickly fading, and the younger generation can frequently be seen wearing black as a trendy colour.

 

White symbolises the mother’s milk and is the central ground between red and black, balancing the 2 colours. It signifies moderation, purity, honesty and life, but it is also used at funerals as it is believed that it can harmonise all elements. It can be used in all rituals and ceremonies as it is essentially neutral. Other colours are classified according to their relative darkness and lightness and associated significance with white as the benchmark.